Machines and machine components have routinely been the target of thieves, especially when there is a need for equipment, such as after a natural disaster. Stolen machines may be stripped and sold for parts, and therefore, create difficulties for authorities and machine owners to identify missing parts. To assist with identifying machines and machine components, markings are used, such as labels, etchings, etc., that uniquely identify a given component or machine. However, these markings may be removed or altered to change the identification information.
Furthermore, law enforcement officials may not be trained to identify machines properly. For example, transported machines that are subject to inspection may have identification information printed on a component or sticker attached to the machine. However, alterations to the identification information frustrate the machine identification process. That is, law enforcement attempts to accurately identify machines with altered markings and identifications hinder the ability to locate missing machines and components.
One method of locating missing equipment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,473 (the '473 patent) issued to Paschal. The '473 patent describes a system for automatically identifying and detecting vehicles. The system uses an electronic label having transmission and reception devices to transmit and store an identification code of the vehicle. A mobile reader may be used to store identification codes of stolen vehicles and may prompt a transmission of the identification code from the electronic label to compare the transmitted identification code to the stored identification codes of the stolen vehicles.
Although the system of the '473 patent may provide a mechanism to identify vehicles using identification information stored on an electronic label, the system relies solely on identification codes, such as a vehicle registration number. However, registration numbers, even if stored on an electronic label, may be altered and replaced by false registration numbers, thereby preventing recovery of stolen or missing machines.
The disclosed embodiments are directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.